Birthday Celebration - Genevieve Lewis Bush

Today is her birthday (May 29, 1874) - born 146 years ago. Her photo hung in our home (Springloch Court Silver Spring MD) for as long as we can remember...right next to her husband, Adrian Rufus Bush. Fitting...they were on the wall behind the chair in the dining room where our mother sat (Marilyn Janice Craft Fox - affectionately known as Munner). These were her people. Her grandparents. They currently ‘reside’ in North Logan UT...on the dining room wall.

Genevieve Lewis Bush died at the young age of 40. Munner would never get to know her biological grandmother. And her daughter (Irene Elizabeth Bush Craft Corwin) would only know her for eight years.

From Grandma Corwin’s Life Story

“...I was born on that farm (Bush Homestead - Bridgewater Township, Susquehanna County, PA) in a small downstairs bedroom on October 21, 1905. I was brought into the world by Dr. Decker. My mother, Genevieve Lewis Bush was cared for by Mrs. Lindsley, a neighbor woman who was paid one dollar a week and her board.

Probably my parents welcomed a little girl after eight years with Harry, my brother. They named me Irene Elizabeth - the middle name was after my Grandmother Bush (Elizabeth Jane Mickels Howe Bush).

Grandfather Bush (Bengetto L Lewis) passed away before I was born and my earliest recollections of Grandmother Bush were that she lived upstairs in the biggest bedroom. Grandmother was very fond of me and wanted me with her much of the time. She was bedridden much of the time, supposedly with a lung problem, but her real problem was a dope craving which nearly ruined the family income. She was very demanding and would pound on the floor for my mother to go wait on her and then in a few minutes, she could be heard walking around. (Sue - This would have been Genevieve’s mother-in-law. I am in awe of how she treated her. Maybe this is where Grandma Corwin learned patience...by observing her mother).

When I was seven years old, Grandmother Bush passed away and for the first time in their married lives, my parents were free to do things to the house to make it more to my mother's liking. Grandmother died in the fall, so the following spring the old house began to ring with sounds of hammer and saw. Work was progressing nicely when my mother noticed a dark red mark on her left hand with a red streak running up her arm to her chest. She lived just one week and died a horribly painful death from blood poisoning as it was then called. Now, we would call it an infection. (Sue - In 2020, it would be called sepsis. She had gotten a cut in her hand...probably from the remodel project. As she was cleaning out the attic, she found mice nests and droppings. The disposal of the mice remains caused the infection in the open wound.)

Funerals were held in the homes in those days, so everyone had to work very hard to get the house in shape. Every room was torn up in some way, bare floors, no curtains at the windows and generally all torn up. The neighbors and the family were wonderful and at last the dread three days were over and the dear one laid to rest.

The next two years were really dreary and lonely for all of us. Aunt Augusta Beebe came and kept house for a while followed by Grandmother Lewis (Caroline Blackington Lewis). Both were nearly blind so things really got out of hand. During those two years, I followed my dad around wherever he went; rode the farm machinery (my favorite was the long tongue that stuck out in the back of the manure wagon...smelly but fun); helped plant corn, rode the hay wagon. I went for the cows every night and was generally spoiled by my dad.

I guess my dad just couldn't stand the loneliness any longer. So he courted and won for his wife, a new stepmother for me. Her name was Marion Booth and she had been a school teacher all her life. She was a wonderfully sweet and good person. But I naturally resented her for she had first place with my dad now and I took second place. It took me two years to learn to call her 'mom,' but in time, it all worked out and the new mom proved to be such a wonderful helpmate to dad and a loving mother to me and to Harry.”

Obituary - Montrose PA Newspaper "Genevieve Lewis Bush was a lady of domestic tastes, loving her home and ever striving to do for those about her. Of an affectionate and winning way, her circle of friends was a large one and it may be said that "None knew her, but to love her." Her age was forty years old."

Munner Insights - “Until I got Mom to write her life story, all that I knew about her mother, Genevieve, was her tiny obituary (see above). Also, I got to know about her from her sister, Frances Lewis Tourjee. My mom picked up Aunt Frances from her home in Factoryville PA to spend the day on several occasions. For years, I kept a copy of Genevieve’s short obituary in the dining room buffet drawer. I would read it to guests as an encouragement to leave more information about their life than a short obituary. Although, from those few words, we learn what a Christ-like woman she was. I can’t wait to meet her on the other side one day. I know I will love her so much, just as I was so drawn to her sister, Aunt Frances.”

Another short obituary in The Evening News - Wilkes Barre PA May 1914

Montrose - Mrs. Genevieve Bush, of North Bridgewater, near here, died as the result of blood poisoning which set in after she had sustained a slight scratch on one of her fingers.